


Off the Clock

by surveycorpsjean



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: AU where they're wanted by Shinra, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff and Smut, Gambling, Getting Together, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Motels, Sexual Content, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:54:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24867931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/surveycorpsjean/pseuds/surveycorpsjean
Summary: It's just the two of them against the world.
Relationships: Reno/Rude (Compilation of FFVII)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 354





	Off the Clock

**Author's Note:**

> hear me out on this one.

Cities don’t smell like they used to.

Fossil fuels burn muskier, sometimes thick in the air (the more inner-city you get). It reminds Rude of those mining towns they used to recruit in, but that was a million lifetimes ago.

The world copes in its’ own way. In drugs and poker tables and quick, easy sex. It feels like every city has their own wall-market these days; but at the very least, it makes it easy to town-hop unseen.

This new stage in their life – this broken, crumbling to pieces, stuck back together with glue and _hope –_ it isn’t going to last. Maybe they’re way past their expiration date. Maybe this is all just bonus time they weren’t supposed to have.

Rude saw it coming, like he always does. Reno is hard to read to anyone else in the world, but Rude knows his long-time partner down to the bone, down to _genetics._

Reno had developed new tics.

Twitching fingers, shoulder spasms, eyes snapping to the door every over minute. Reno is a fiery red and unpredictable wild card – so the moment Rude _can_ predict something from Reno, the gig is up.

“If you walk away now, it’s going to follow you forever.”

Reno’s head snapped up, from where his chin was pressed to his knees.

As Turks, they were doing what was expected of them; standing outside Rufus’ motel door, guarding what was left of the Shinra name. Rude can still remember Reno squat down on the ground, chewing tirelessly at his thumbnail.

“What you on?”

“If we do this,” Rude repeats. “If we leave, and they find us – it’ll be war for the rest of your life.” 

Reno’s eyes widened, like all the little wires in his brain had twisted end to end. A whispered laugh followed.

“My life has already been war.” A pause. “And who says I’m bringing you with me?”

“Your partner says.”

And so, nine months, ten days and six hours after the almost-end of the world, Rude and Reno snuck out of a shitty motel, dumped the Turk jackets in an alley and didn’t look back.

“Hey,” Reno snaps, switching his cigarette to the other hand. “Are you playin’ or are you sleeping?”

Rude looks down to his hand. It’s shit, but Rude increases his bet anyways. He knows Reno will win them enough for another night at the hotel, so he doesn’t stress about losing a few gil.

The club basement is stuffy from too many men and an abundance of perfume. The carpet might’ve been red once upon a time, but it’s so stained with cigar ash, it’s turned grey.

Rude crosses one leg over the other. He never quite adjusted to wearing _casual_ clothing as well as Reno. Rude prefers the familiarity of a pair of slacks and a collared shirt, rather than Reno’s shredded jeans three sizes too small, and a button-down floral that isn’t even _buttoned_ to begin with. 

But, it’s all strategy. At least two of the gentlemen at their table are a little-less comfortable in their sexuality, and Reno is working them over like putty in his hands.

The door to the club is kicked open, chairs thrown and shoved aside, and the strippers don’t even pause.

“That’s them!” A man points past the bouncers. “They’re the ones with the million gil bounty!”

“Well fuck,” Reno slaps his cards on the table and pouts. “I was about to flush.” The club patrons look shocked, especially the other poker players.

“A million gil, huh?”

Reno cracks his neck, then his knuckles, and bats his little eyelashes.

“Yup.”

Rude wordlessly hands him his nightstick.

* * *

Reno thumbs through the gil, and Rude can hear the sigh before it comes.

“It’ll get us outta’ town. But shit, it ain’t as much as we woulda’ made off those old dicks.”

“I don’t think _robbing the bar_ counts as laying low,” Rude points out.

Reno walks backwards, stuffing the money in his pockets along with his hands.

“Hey, I only robbed the pussies who thought they stood a fucking chance against us. Nice kickflip off the table, by the way. Thought that was a nice touch.”

One of the bouncers thought it was a good idea to go for Reno’s neck while he was preoccupied, and Rude wasn’t a fan of that.

“Hm.”

Reno looks up at the sky, where there might’ve been plates and moving cities, once upon a year ago.

“So where to now?”

“While you were going down on the bartender in the bathroom, I heard a waitress say they were expanding out south.”

“I was _not –_ ” Reno starts, but Rude just stares through his sunglasses, and Reno starts over. “Okay, whatever. You sure? It’s the wild wild west out there.”

“Wild wild _south._ ”

“What-freaking-ever. I swear, if we don’t get two separate rooms this time my dick is gonna’ fall off.”

“Hasn’t stopped you before.”

“Yeah, but then I have to hear you _bitch_ about it all day,” Reno crosses his arms, and spins around again. “Bartender was hot though.”

“Mm. Six.”

“No way dude, he had a great bod. A total eight.”

“He spat tobacco and there’s no way you kissed him like that. Six.”

Reno gets mad because he’s right. He kicks a stone down the road, and it bounces off an old mako powerline. “This is the post-apocalypse _partner_ ; you have to start lowering your standards or you’re never going to get laid.”

Rude cleans his sunglasses on the corner of his shirt and hums.

* * *

It’s enough for two rooms. The tank of gas in their car got them three hours out of town, out in the desert where there’s nothing but gas stations, bars and ruddy motels, so Rude doesn’t anticipate any more skirmishes.

It’s nearly three in the morning, but Reno still turns right on his heel and heads out for the bar. Frankly, Rude is exhausted, and he’s long past worrying if Reno will run off with their gil, so he strips and showers for the night.

An hour later, he ignores the repeated slam of Reno’s headboard against their shared wall.

* * *

Motel coffee is motel coffee. They were spoiled at Shinra HQ, but with the current-day economy, they’re lucky to get any coffee at all.

Rude is able to pick the lock on Reno’s door with his knife, as he balances a spare mug in the crook of his arm. The door clicks, and Rude shuts it with his heel.

Reno rolls over groggily, and two women sit up in the bed, clutching the sheets to their chests.

“Alright, out,” Rude says gruffly. The women scramble to pick up their clothing, and Reno groans long and whiney. Rude lifts his eyebrow behind his glasses. “Congratulations, your dick didn’t fall off.”

“Come the fuck _on._ The sun isn’t even yellow yet.”

Rude doesn’t know what that means and doesn’t care to. As the ladies scurry red-faced out the door, Rude sets the spare cup of coffee on the bedside table, and chooses to drink his own on the couch, with the morning paper.

“I saw our Wanted posters at the gas station this morning,” Rude says. “We need to get further away from the Edge and lay low somewhere for a few days.”

“Ugh,” Reno sits up stiffly, and his rocket-red hair is everywhere. “My beautiful, perky ass is going to be flattened into a pancake because of that old clunker.”

It would be worse to drive around in a fancy sportscar. The convertible gets them from point A to point B, and that’s all Rude cares about.

He catches up on current events while Reno hisses into his shitty coffee and limps into the shower. Rude chooses not to comment on the size of the strap that woman stuffed into her purse, even though he really, really wants to. 

Reno comes out of the shower looking better, but not great.

“I miss the beach,” Reno grumbles, toweling off his hair.

“We can check up on those coastal cities,” Rude suggests. “But it’s a week trip.”

“Anything to get me some good sun,” Reno huffs. “That bitch last night said my back looked like a tortilla.”

Rude laughs, and catches the wet towel Reno throws at him.

* * *

Rude grabs a map at the gas station. Reno buys an apple-danish and pouts in the passenger seat until Rude lets him drive. Don’t get him wrong — Reno is a great driver — but he’s _fast,_ and Rude isn’t in the mood for any law enforcement to get involved. So Rude keeps an eye out for bike cops and only pesters him when the speedometer goes over a hundred and ten.

Rude drops the top of the convertible, and Reno starts to bitch as his hair flies everywhere.

“Hey, knock it off!”

“Then slow down.”

“Dude, you’re gonna’ fuck up my hair.”

“Well you know I don’t have that problem,” Rude says, and Reno reluctantly slows down. The landscape is desert and dry, but the wind helps beat the heat.

They’re going on six months, living this way. It’s not much, but Rude still counts it as time he wasn’t supposed to have in the first place. There are no daydreams of a _future –_ only the distant thought of where they’re going to sleep tomorrow.

Reno’s hair flicks around him in little whippy bursts, like a ribbon twirling around the air. He’s nicked a pair of Rude’s glasses to fight the sun, and he drives one handed with a knee up on the seat, and it’s not a bad life, Rude guesses. Could be worse.

* * *

They reach a mining town by the afternoon, so they stop for dinner at a run-down café. The booths are that old baby-blue color, and the tile is black and white-checkered with cracks here and there. The waitresses dress in frilly aprons and pink bandanas, and it reminds Rude of a different world.

“Map says there’s a rest stop two hours down the road,” Rude points out. Reno picks at the fry basket and hums.

“We can’t just stay here? I saw a pub up around the corner, might be able to make some cash.”

“More people, more trouble.”

“More _fun,_ ” Reno points with his fry. Rude chews on the end of an onion ring in thought.

“Fine. But you have to wear the hat.”

“Absolutely not. I can’t pick up babes in an ugly bucket hat.”

“Then stop dying your hair.”

“Then grow out _yours,”_ Reno snaps back. Rude refuses to reply to that, and Reno slumps down in the booth and huffs. “Ugh, fine, I’ll wear a hoodie or something. I swear you were made to cockblock me.” Rude snorts, and they both nod a thanks to the waitress as she refills their drinks. When she walks away, Reno says, “Seven.”

“Eight.”

“Whaaat? You think so?”

“Good legs.”

Reno peeks back around the booth, and then shrugs.

“Guess so. Didn’t know you were a leg guy.”

Rude folds up the map carefully and tucks it in his pocket.

“You’d be surprised.”

* * *

The pub is okay. They don’t skimp out on the alcohol, so the place is tolerable.

No poker tables, unfortunately, but the pub does have pool. This is Rude’s game, so they place bets and play some of the patrons for cash, while Reno chats up the older, big money-looking men in the corner.

“I tell everyone they should suck a dick once,” Reno chirps, butt up on the edge of the pool table as Rude leans over to line up a shot. “Man, woman, and beyond the binary. It builds character.”

One of the men crosses his arms and snorts, “What, you do that often?”

“Suck dicks? Sure. That’s how you get good at it.”

“You charge for that kinda’ thing?”

“Why, you paying?”

Rude’s eye twitches, and he has to realign his shot. He’s made a point to stay out of Reno’s affairs, but he’s also made it clear that he won’t tolerate Reno turning himself into a gigolo. But Rude is all too aware that Reno won’t sleep with someone he’s not interested in, so if he can make a bit of gil on the side, what’s Rude to say.

Although, Rude isn’t too favorable of the way that man is holding Reno by the waist. He sinks the eight ball.

“Damn,” his competitor slides his stick to the floor. “You’re good, man. Rematch?”

Reno laughs as that rich-looking dude whispers in his ear.

“Sure,” Rude says dryly.

“Cool, you reset the game and I’ll be right back,” Reno waves, and he’s led off and towards the bathroom. Rude grinds his teeth a little, and helps dig the balls out of the pots.

“You let your boyfriend sleep around with just anyone like that?”

Rude rolls his handful of cue-balls towards the center of the table.

“Not my boyfriend, not my business.”

The guy he’s been playing with has been a good enough sport, but he raises his eyebrows at that and says nothing. Reno comes back out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later, rolling a hundred-piece gill around his fingers, and Rude has to fight against the burn in his stomach.

* * *

This town still operates on the old gas neon. By the time they step out of the pub, they’re all good and drunk, and the town is glowing a rainbow of colors. The streets aren’t as lively as Wall-Market, but the curbs have food venders and beggars and teens up to no good.

“One room?” Reno huffs at the hotel desk. “Are you serious? And we even have the money this time…”

“Sorry,” the woman pops her gum. “Two fulls is all I’ve got.”

“We’ll take it,” Rude says, because he hates sleeping in the car.

Reno isn’t as put-out about the room as usual, but it’s probably because he’s drunk. They run through their usual routine of checking the room for cameras, wedging a stick under the window lock and taping up any suspicious looking holes.

Reno flops back on one of the beds, chucks his shirt and turns on the TV to an old soap.

“Damn,” Reno whistles. “Look at that picture.”

“Still got the box on the back,” Rude points out.

“Shit, this whole town feels like a step outta’ time, doesn’t it?”

Their window lights up blue, green, and then yellow with the outside hotel neon as it flickers. The curtains are at least fifty years old, and they’re thin from the sun.

“Yeah.” Rude removes one glove, then the other. Reno’s eyes slide to watch him, even as he bends down to untie his shoes. “So that man…” Rude starts. “Rating?”

“Five.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, he was cute, but boring,” Reno sighs. His socked feet slide against the comforter, and his ponytail bleeds out against the white pillows as he turns his head. “Didn’t even pull my hair.”

“You were probably his first guy.”

“Hmmm…” Reno thinks, and stretches his arms above his head like a temptation. “You’re probably right. Had to jack off into the toilet and everything. Hrm, so I was someone’s character development today. Neat.”

Rude doesn’t even flinch at Reno’s filthy mouth anymore. They’re years past that anyways.

He does look, though.

Reno’s attention is back on the TV, and the overhead lights make his eyelashes look long, casting little shadows on his cheeks.

 _“I love you!!!”_ The woman on TV cries dramatically. _“I’ve loved you this whole time!! Why won’t you just open your eyes!”_

_“Clara – you know we can never be! My father – ”_

_“Forget your father! What about us?!”_

“Ugh,” Reno rolls his eyes. “So dramatic. Love is stupid.”

“Mm.” Rude pops the top two buttons of his shirt, and unloads his pockets onto the side table. “Haven’t you ever thought about settling down? You won’t stay young forever.”

Reno snorts, and rolls his head to look at him again, smiling.

“What, are you calling me old?”

“Fountain of youth is running out.”

“You’re such a dick,” Reno laughs, but it sounds happy. He’s stares up at the ceiling, mulling over his question, and then replies, “Settling down? Nah. Not the life we’re living.”

“Do you want that?” Rude flips a cigarette in hand, and tosses the box to Reno. “Stability?”

“Do _you?”_

Rude lights his cig, not really expecting to have his question thrown back at him.

“Haven’t thought about it.”

“Then that’s my answer.” Reno crosses his ankles. “When I can stay somewhere longer than a week without a gun up my ass, then maybe I’ll think about fucking the same person twice.”

Rude cracks a smile, and finally decides to remove his glasses.

“Wow. Are you sure you’re ready for marriage?”

Reno cackles.

“Get in the fucking shower, asshole.”

* * *

They’ve shared enough rooms to know the other’s sleeping habits. Reno snores, but not very loud. It’s like a cat, steady and constant but barely audible (and cute, but Rude won’t say it).

Even with the lights off, the floor still illuminates with the outside neon. Rude stares at the window, watching the shadows of cars drive by. It’s late, but he’s sober again, and his brain is on it’s own track tonight.

He didn’t realize Reno’s snoring had gone quiet, until the sheets rustle. 

“Rude?”

He looks across the room, but he’s only able to make out the shadows of Reno’s body. 

“Hm?”

Reno’s never awake when he doesn’t have to be, and his voice _never_ sounds sleep soft and thoughtful. For a moment, Rude wonders if there’s a body-double in that bed.

“Do you think…” Reno starts, and then he appears to come into himself, because he shakes his head and his tone runs light. “Ha, you know what, never mind. Night.”

“Hey.” Rude watches his shoulders tense. “Say it anyways.”

“You’ll make fun of me.”

“Maybe.”

Reno huffs, twists around in the sheets, turns to the ceiling and then back. A long pause follows, enough that Rude gets distracted by the flashing neon again, before Reno eventually speaks.

“Do you think Tseng and Elena are still out there?”

Rude goes still. It’s…something he tries not to think about. At least, in depth.

“Do you want a real answer?”

“Yeah.”

“Probably not.”

Reno goes quiet. Kind of a rarity, kind of not.

“If they showed up tomorrow,” Reno starts. “Would you go back?”

“I don’t know,” Rude says, because that answer relies on a lot of different things.

“What if I did?” Reno asks. And that’s one of them. This conversation is getting dangerous, so Rude steers it away.

“Would you?”

Reno thinks about it. With a flash of blue neon, Reno’s hair and tattoos turn purple – and he doesn’t look real. Not in this moment.

“Nah,” Reno says. “I’ve got enough red on my ledger to take a one-way trip into hell.”

Rude hums, and props his hands behind his head.

“You think so?”

“Know so.”

“Guess we’ll partner up there, too.”

Reno’s surprised silence lasts only a second, because he breaks out in quiet, breathy laughter. It sounds intimate, but it’s enough, Rude thinks. Enough for now, or as long as this overtime will allow.

“So weird…” Reno mumbles to himself, but he sounds more content than when they started this, and the kitty snores are back soon enough.

_Flick – flick – flick._

Blue, green, yellow.

* * *

Reno turns up the radio as loud as that poor car can go. The speakers pop and crackle in complaint, but Reno sits up against the passenger side door and sings as he smokes, and it’s terrible, absolutely awful, but it’s a side of Reno that Rude didn’t know was there.

Not that long ago, they dropped a sector plate that killed thousands. Rude wonders if this is Reno finally letting go.

* * *

The owner of the pitstop coffee-house is a plump, older woman with roller curls and red lipstick.

“Now where are you two gentlemen headed with that big ole’ map of yours?”

Rude sips his coffee, knowing Reno will answer for him.

“We’re going nowhere, ma’am,” Reno grins.

“Nowhere?” She laughs, hands on her hips. “Seems pretty far from here.”

“Nowhere is all we’ve got,” Rude says. The woman nods her head, and slides a crumpled up Wanted poster across the counter. They frown simultaneously.

“Best not stop in any major towns on your way. You’ve got big money looking for you.”

“We know.”

“It’s a longer haul if you take the sideroad, but you’re less likely to get into any scraps.” The owner leans across the bar and points, and Rude immediately makes note of it. “There’s a town down there that likes people going to nowhere. Might even say they like _nobodies._ ”

“Sounds like my kinda’ people,” Reno grins. Rude pops the pen cap with his teeth, and circles the dot on the map.

* * *

The truth is, the two of them could take any bounty-hunter that Shinra sends their way. But that’s no way to live, and they know it too. Maybe there’s a corner of the world that the eye doesn’t see. If such a place exists, then that’s what they’re looking for.

The side road _was_ longer, but it took them to a hidden town in the valley. It’s big enough for Reno to be happy, but small as not to have their faces posted on every damn wall. The surplus of motorcycle gangs and biker bars tells him that this town is probably a haven for their rough and tough type anyways. 

Reno was excited to spot a chain of thrift stores.

“How about this?” Reno asks, holding a navy shirt up against his chest. “Not my color, right?”

Rude doesn’t even look as he says, “Sure.”

“You’re so boring,” Reno huffs. “All you wear is black. You know we’re not in the Turks anymore, right?”

“What would _you_ have me wear?”

Reno looks around the aisle, and then picks up a tropical shirt with flamingos all over it.

“ _This!_ It’s literal perfection.”

“Yeah, no thanks.”

Reno buys some tees and a dress shirt, and he changes in the car on their way to a local club. It’s typical to see Reno unbutton the top _ten_ buttons on his shirt, but Rude is surprised when Reno flicks down the mirror and starts applying eyeliner.

Rude looks over at him, before clicking the blinker.

“What are you doing?”

“Didn’t you see the sign on the way into town?” Reno pulls down his eyelid. “They have a _casino._ I want enough cash to go all out when we reach the coast.”

“Mm.”

“If this place is what they say it is, then it’s probably full of babes.” Reno elbows him. “Maybe we can get you laid for once.”

“You think I don’t get laid?” Rude asks, just to fuck with him. A rainbow of emotions cross Reno’s face, and Rude snorts. “Worry about yourself.”

“Such an asshole,” Reno pouts. “Now I’m definitely not going to help you with your eyeliner.”

“Woe is me.”

* * *

Reno is on the dancefloor as soon as he gets a chance. Rude orders shots and figures Reno will flounder his way over if he wants one.

The music is loud in here. It rattles the glasses and makes his teeth on edge, and there are too many people to watch out for.

Rude looks over to check on Reno, and an alternative looking girl is grinding pretty heavy on him. For one reason or another, Rude just isn’t able to handle that tonight, so he works on lighting a cigarette and frowns when it won’t catch.

“Need a light?”

Rude looks over to a shorter, stockier man, with a scruffy beard and blue eyes. His jacket says biker but his hands say miner.

“Sure, thanks.”

The stranger lights his marlboro for him, cupping his hand so it won’t snuff out.

“First time here?” He asks. Rude doesn’t answer, and the guy slides his head into his hand. “It’s cool. Most folk only pass through.”

“Not you?”

“Nah. We ride up here most weekends for the bars.” The guy sticks out his hand. “Leon.”

Rude tries to blow smoke away from him, and shakes his hand back.

“Rude.”

“I know. I’ve seen your face in the gas stations.”

Damn. Rude is starting to think they’re kinda shit at this undercover thing.

“That’s…unfortunate.”

“I’ve been there,” Leon shrugs. “But not as good a bounty as you. Those are some high numbers, man.”

“Some stuff sticks with you,” Rude shrugs.

Leon laughs, “Ain’t that the truth,” and it’s not a bad laugh. Kinda’ hard to hear over the music, but he has a good smile.

“You ride?” Rude nods to the window, where a line of bikes are parked.

Leon grins, “Yeah. You wanna’ get out of here?”

“Partner!!” Reno throws his arms around his neck from behind, and Rude has to sturdy his weight on the barstool. “You got us shots! Oh, and I heard the casino has blackjack on the top floor, we _have_ to try it out.”

Leon blinks, and looks between them with surprise.

“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t know.”

“Wait,” Rude starts, but Leon is up off the barstool and waving goodbye, and Rude sighs as Reno takes his spot.

“Hold on, were you flirting with that guy?” Reno knocks back the shot and taps the glass on the counter. His voice comes out rougher. “Shit, sorry. He was kind of a five though, way below your standard.”

Rude wants to argue and says _that’s subjective,_ but Reno is already tying his hair back and hitting a second shot, and Rude is too buzzed to get angry.

“What happened to that girl?”

“She’s waitin’ on me,” Reno stands and winks. “Total nine. I’ll be back, partner.”

He’s gone as quick as he came, and Rude flicks his cigarette bud into the ash tray, slightly frustrated.

* * *

Rude stays long enough to catch a quarter of a sports game, before he just can’t stand to be here anymore. It’s warm, and fights are starting to break out between patrons, and he can’t handle watching Reno make out with anyone else.

The hotel is only a single walk through the casino lobby. It’s late and quiet, and the distant jingle of slot machines is just more background noise he can’t handle.

They’ve got separate rooms, at least. _How_ Reno will manage to find his room, Rude doesn’t care anymore. He’ll figure it out.

The ritual is methodical; check for cameras, cover the windows, deadlock the door. Rude stands in the shower for way too long, thinking about things he just can’t have.

* * *

The decision is made to stay another day when Rude breaks into Reno’s room and finds him dry heaving over the toilet. The room smells like sex and alcohol, and Rude is a patient man, but it irritates him today.

“How’s that hangover treating you?” Rude asks from the doorway.

“Fucking Ifrit,” Reno curses, resting his forehead on the rim. “They sure as shit don’t water those drinks down. I don’t even think the bartender gave a fuck.”

“Awww, poor baby.”

Reno squints at him, fury in his eyes.

“You ditched me last night!”

“You didn’t seem to notice,” Rude points out, but reluctantly picks up clothes off the floor, and digs for a hand towel under the sink. He runs it under water and presses it to Reno’s forehead, urging him to keep it there. “We’ve got enough gil for another night.”

“Hell no,” Reno huffs, sitting back on his heels. “I’m not going let you hold that over my head.”

“I won’t,” Rude lies, probably, and sniffs around in Reno’s bag for some painkillers. “But it’s better than you puking all over the dash.”

Reno groans, and his head rolls on his shoulders, like it’s too heavy.

“Whatever. Top left pocket.”

Rude finds the pill bottle and tosses it. Even as hungover as he is, Reno still catches it in one hand. Rude fills up a hotel glass with tap water, and Reno knocks it back. His ponytail is falling out at the end, so Rude yanks out the hairtie and shoots it at him.

“Ow!”

“We’re not staying a third night, so sort yourself out today. I’m going for coffee.”

“Pancakes,” Reno whines, putting on a baby face that doesn’t work on Rude anymore. “Please?”

Rude rolls his eyes, “Well, since you asked so nicely… I’ll think about it.” He then slams the door as loudly as possible, and he can hear Reno’s curses muffled through the wall.

* * *

Rude buys the stupid pancakes, but only after taking his damn time. He grabs the paper, gets coffee, and chats up the old lady who waits tables at the breakfast diner.

The pancakes are probably cold by the time Rude returns, but Reno takes them anyways.

He’s shirtless in bed as he eats, but at least he’s showered and not throwing up everywhere. His eyeliner from yesterday is smudged under his eyes, and he’s cross legged and rocking back and forth like cold pancakes are a freaking delicacy.

“Oh my gods, _yes._ Fucking finally, did another meteor strike the planet?”

Rude ignores him, “I’m going back out.”

“Huh?”

“I met a woman that has some for-hire work. I thought I’d get us some extra change.”

Reno frowns, slowing as he chews on the end of his plastic fork.

“Why? I’ll just win us some cash at the casino tonight.”

Rude crosses his arms and gives a blank look. “Right. Because that worked out so well yesterday.”

“Hey! I wasn’t _planning_ on –”

“I’ll be back later.”

Reno sets the styrofoam box aside and swings his legs out of bed. He’s still unsteady on his feet, and has to grab onto the wall for balance.

“What?” Reno barks, “Are you gonna’ clean out gutters? Mow an old lady’s lawn?”

“Yes,” Rude says, and slams the door again.

* * *

The distraction is good for him, and the lady pays nice.

So much of Rude’s life has been full of structure, of hard work, of time spent laboring in the sun. Everything is so upside down, that a day of fixing lightbulbs and doing yardwork is welcome.

Reno has been acting strange, anyways. The tics are different. Rude hasn’t figured it out yet, and it’s unnerving him.

“You’re so strong!” The old woman claps her hands, and Rude pockets the money.

“I’m sure you see all kinds out here.”

“Yes,” she admits. “That’s why I never do my own physical labor.” 

* * *

Reno must be feeling better, because he’s actually dressed and excited to see Rude when he returns.

“Why are you in here?” Rude asks.

“I was looking through your shirts,” Reno admits, sitting up off his bed. “It’s all the same shit, sooo disappointing.”

Rude isn’t sure if he even wants to know. He asks anyways.

“Why?”

“Because; I won some good money at the slots, so I’m taking you out to dinner!” Reno swings his feet off the bed and spins Rude by the shoulders. “Get changed, you’re all sweaty and gross. Who wears suit pants to do yard work?”

“They’re comfortable.”

For a moment, Rude _swears_ Reno looks him up and down, but he’s pushed towards the bathroom, and Rude only goes because he is allowing it.

“Come on, come on. It’s a Saturday night so everything’s gonna’ be packed. I want some _steak,_ yo.”

For a lack of better judgement, Rude goes along with it.

A nicer(ish) restaurant sits past the casino club. They’re partially connected, seeing as most of the drunk and hungry partiers have settled in around the booths. Girls in tube dresses, men in motor jackets and shredded vests; people are gathered to drink by the bar, but the two of them end up seated at one of the tables.

“How much did you win?” Rude asks, finally getting his first drink.

Reno crosses one long leg over the other, and grins at him over the candle on the table.

“Ten-k baby.”

Rude rubs a hand over his mouth. “No shit?”

“Swear on my life.”

“How’d you pull that off?”

Reno studies his nails, “A con man never reveals his secrets.”

Rude has a pretty good idea how, but he lets Reno fluff his feathers. He looks a little more like himself tonight. His smile is more genuine and less predatory. Like a shell opening inch by inch, Rude is slowly seeing what lies _beyond_ an overconfident flirt and bad hair. 

That is, until two girls come wobbling past the table.

“Hey!” The taller one waves, and Rude blinks when he realizes she’s looking at _him,_ not Reno. “Yeah, you with the glasses! Sorry but – have we met before?”

“No. Don’t think so.”

“Oh,” she laughs, and her friend squeezes her arm. “I’m Aina, and this is Yuka. You really don’t remember us?”

Hm, the oldest trick in the book. They’re attractive, so Rude greets, “Rude. And no, sorry.”

“Ah, silly me! It just seems like I would’ve remembered someone as handsome as you!”

Her friend laughs and slaps her arm.

“Yo, I’m Reno,” he waves, and Reno looks a little put out about not being the center of attention. The look on his face suddenly crosses into a dangerous grin, and he scoots over to make room. “Come sit, ladies! Unless you’ve got somewhere to be.”

“Oh, not at all!”

“Thank you!”

“So Mister Rude,” Yuka spins her earring. “You look like a businessman in that fancy suit of yours. What brings you to Biketown?”

“Is that what they’re calling it?”

“Mmm, most tourists don’t have the balls to come around here.”

“We’re traveling,” Reno answers, before Rude can say. He sets his head in his hand, elbow right on the table, and bats his eyelashes. “What about you ladies?”

“We come to party on the weekends,” Aina says. She thumbs through her blonde hair. “Ain’t nowhere like a bar full of rough types.”

Rude hums, entertained by her obvious flirting. “You like it rough?”

She giggles, “Am I so transparent?”

“Well you won’t find it here,” Reno interjects, and Rude blinks in surprise. “This guy is a big ole softy. Probably too afraid to even yank your pigtails – well, not the way you n’ I like it.”

Rude stares, face fallen blank.

_What?_

“Oh?” Yuka snickers. “Doesn’t look like it to me.”

“Mmm, I’ve known this guy for years. He’ll pick cats outta’ trees before he takes a girl home.”

Rude narrows his eyes.

_What is he doing?_

“Awww, that’s adorable.”

“And what are you saying?” Aina interjects, turning her charm to a new target. “That you’re different?”

“Psshh, me?” Reno laughs, sliding his arms back in the booth as he jabbers on. “You ever heard of kinbaku?”

“Ohh, yes! But I was never too good at the knots!”

“I could show you a _whole_ set of positions you’ve never even seen before.”

The girls laugh, and Rude falls to the background, because this – _this_ Reno –

Something isn’t right.

Reno’s eyes slide to him. Just a flicker and back, and a satisfied smile crosses his face when the girls fully turn to look at him.

This isn’t Reno.

Sleeping around? Sure – Rude was used to that. Maybe once a week, twice if it was bad – Reno would slide out of the hotel and pick up someone, just to slink on back without a word. But these last few weeks; it’s like a frog in boiling water. Worse and worse, more and more, like Reno is _reaching_ for something. Like he’s clawing at an unobtainable goal.

He’s become –

Reno’s eyes blink quickly, and he laughs, eyes snapping to Rude as his leg bounces.

His tics are back.

Rude’s brain pieces it together, one memory at a time, completely disassociated from the laughter in the dark, noisy restaurant.

Last night, at the club; was that interruption _really_ a coincidence?

Rude sees a pattern. He connects all the interactions he’s had in the past month, and falls to one conclusion; his dear partner, Mister _Reno,_ has become predictable.

Rude uncrosses and re-crosses his legs. He reaches for his drink, and minds his own business when Reno begins to make out with one of the girls against the back of the booth. Rude swallows down the anger like the burn of his scotch, letting it smolder and sting to savor the taste.

He can be patient.

He’ll wait.

* * *

“Damn, that girl had a tongue like a snake,” Reno blabbers, arms behind his head as they walk back towards the elevator. “I swear it reached the back of my molars.”

Rude punches the level of their floor, and Reno leans up against the elevator handrail.

“Total nines, don’t you think? Shame they had to head out of town – they gave me their digits but it’s not like I’ll ever call ‘em.”

The elevator beeps one floor at a time. _Three, four, five…_

“I haven’t seen _you_ pick up anyone lately,” Reno continues, tapping his chin. “Not since that redhead at the inner edge. What, can’t get it up anymore?”

Reno laughs, and Rude pushes up his sunglasses by the bridge of his nose. When the elevator reaches the seventh floor, Rude steps out first. Reno keeps at his heel, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Not talking? You must be stuffed from that killer steak. I didn’t get to eat much but it looked like you were digging it. I can’t even _remember_ the last time I ate red meat.”

Rude slides his keycard in his hotel room door.

“Those chicks from earlier seemed kinda’ into you. Maybe next time we should ask for a fou-”

In one fluid movement, Rude grabs Reno by the shirt collar, whips him around, and slams him heavily against the door. He reaches down by Reno’s hip and flips the deadbolt, right as he grips Reno by the jaw, and squeezes hard enough to hurt.

“You,” Rude growls, tipping Reno’s head up to look him in the eye. “You. Have been a _brat._ ”

He hisses the word through his teeth. Reno’s eyes are so wide, they might just pop out of his skull.

Reno is a complete deer in the headlights. All the confidence, all the teasing, the flirting, the attitude; for a single moment, it flies right out the window.

“Um,” Reno croaks.

“You think I haven’t noticed?” Rude’s voice is level and seeping with danger. His thumb digs into Reno’s jaw so hard, he can feel the indents of his gums. “You think I’m blind behind these glasses?”

“N-No,” Reno stammers. A red deer, an approaching car, frozen right in place. Big blue eyes, shadowed by tattoos and soft skin.

Rude slides his grip down to Reno’s throat, to press right against his racing pulse.

“Then why are you acting like such a _whore?”_

And in that moment, Reno’s eyes slip back. The deer scampers off and comes back as a lion — his grin stretching across his face, his head snapping back with a moan.

_Thunk._

“Oh _god –_ fuck. Fuck _yes,_ Rude. It’s taken you long enough, I thought you’d never get the hint.”

Reno grinds into his thigh. Realization dawns all at once. It’s a bowl of mixed feelings; rapid-fire adrenaline, and maybe some disappointment.

“I see,” Rude rumbles, bringing his mouth to Reno’s ear. “So this is a game to you.”

An achievement. Rude was something to conquer, like a check on your bucket list.

Reno shivers.

“W-Well I – ” Rude pushes his knee between Reno’s long legs, and his arms roll out in goosebumps, his spine arching off the door. “ _Shit!_ I – I wouldn’t say that’s…”

The hot outline of Reno’s erection is like cold water down his back. It’s real. This is really happening.

Rude’s free hand comes around to the back of Reno’s skull to hold him in place. His fingers find his hair-tie, and he pulls on it, yanking the strands free.

“That’s fine,” Rude hums. “I’m good at games. _Partner._ ”

The look in Reno’s eyes is blurry. Surprised, aroused, (nervous? Is that even possible?)

Reno’s voice comes out raspy. 

“Rude…”

He drops to a knee, and Reno’s eyes go wide.

“Might’ve been a long time coming,” Rude muses, tugging out Reno’s belt with one hand. “You’ll get what you deserve.”

“Holy shit Rude, I – _fuck,_ ” Reno hisses, as Rude yanks down the zipper and wiggles his jeans beneath his ass. It’s like a switch has gone off in Rude’s brain.

Before, he might’ve looked away; in respect for their friendship, their working relationship, their future survival.

But now, Rude is looking at _everything;_ the flushed red of his cock, the trail of hair up to his bellybutton, the litter of beauty marks and the apparent lack of underwear. Rude wants to bite him until he bleeds. Wants to see him cry. Wants to make Reno _so_ addicted, that he’ll never fuck anyone else again.

It’s all a bit of a pipe dream, but Rude is more than pissed off tonight.

Reno is fully hard now. Good size, cut and shaven. Rude pulls until Reno’s foot is propped up on his knee, and he goes right for his cock – rolls his tongue right where it’s most sensitive, and Reno yowls like a cat.

“Ah! _Gods!_ Are you serious??” Reno groans, and his fingers tighten in his own shirt collar, shoe sliding up Rude’s thigh. “I’ve only waited a million fucking years for this – fuck your _mouth,_ Rude. Who the hell taught you this?”

It’s not even the start of it. Rude sets a torturous pace, something that will make it impossible to last. He gets him hard and wet and drools down his balls, and Reno is shaking so bad, Rude has to grip the back of his thigh to keep him from falling over.

Back and forth, Rude sucks him against his tongue and swallows, rubbing Reno’s head against the soft skin of his cheek, and Reno looks like he might start crying. Rude gives him a false sense of security by prodding his hand at the back of his neck, and Reno pushes off the wall and into his mouth.

Rude has heard the noises Reno makes, muffled through a wall, through pillows, through linen; but it’s different, knowing he’s now the cause. Hearing him loud and in the open, their cold hotel room heating up by the second. It’s turning Rude on.

Reno croaks his name, and his fingers slide at his ears and tug.

“A-ahh, shit – slow _down_ dude _._ I’m gonna’ – I won’t last if you – _nngh!”_

And that’s his cue. Rude takes the forgotten ribbon from Reno’s hair, pulls off of his swollen cock, and wraps the tie around his balls. Reno flinches and chokes, but Rude digs his free hand into Reno’s bare thigh _hard,_ before letting go to knot the tie.

Reno wobbles, dizzy from being yanked back so quickly from the edge.

“Wh-what the fuck?”

Rude pushes up his sunglasses, and speaks evenly as he rises to his feet. 

“Let’s get one thing straight,” Rude says, peering down into Reno’s personal space. “You’re not in charge here.”

Reno openly gapes. Rude grabs his jaw again, and Reno moans breathily. It’s beautiful, frustratingly beautiful, and Rude wants to grab his knife and carve his name in his skin. He wants to mark him for everyone to see.

“Crap,” Reno whispers. “We’re doing this. Okay.”

“Okay?” Rude assures.

Reno swallows. His erection looks painful against his shirt, and it throbs weak and frustrated. His jeans are shoved open, his eyes are fogged with heat. He looks like a meal.

“Yeah. Fuck yeah.”

“Good.” Rude pickpockets Reno’s keycard out of his wallet. “Get undressed and wait on the bed.”

“And where the hell are you going?”

“Your room.” Rude says, and opens the door. “If you take off that hair-tie, I’m making you sleep in the car.” He leaves, and the door shuts.

* * *

Rude is only gone for ten minutes; just long enough to dig through Reno’s crap and find what he needs. He washes his hands and rinses out his mouth, but he can still taste Reno’s skin salty on his tongue, and Rude can’t think about it too much and risk getting worked up.

When he returns, Reno is doing exactly what Rude asked of him. He’s naked, and he hasn’t touched the ribbon, and he’s still hard and maybe even _more_ aroused than before. His thick chest is flushed, and his eyes are glaring holes into the wallpaper, and he perks up when he hears Rude enter the room.

“Oh thank gods,” Reno sighs. “I thought I was going to die here.”

“So dramatic,” Rude hums. He sets his shit down on the night stand and removes his shoes. “What’s off the table?”

“Uhhh…” Reno blinks, again taken off guard. “Damn. Uh. Not much, dude. Don’t tie my arms above my head, I hate that shit.”

“Done.”

Reno squirms, and watches Rude pop the buttons on his shirt. “I didn’t know you were into this. Y-you really had me going there for a minute. Thought you were the next mother Theresa.” 

“You don’t know anything.”

“Damn, I see that now.” Reno swallows, and sits back on his hands. Rude slips his shirt off and onto the floor, and Reno’s undivided attention is like a drug. “You... are _so_ freaking hot. Can I touch them?”

Rude plants a knee in the mattress.

“Do what you want. But you can’t come until I tell you to.”

Reno falters for a moment, eyes fluttering, stomach clenching. Rude watches the shiver run _through_ him, like a current. His voice comes out gritty.

“Okay.”

Rude lets him press a hand to his abdominals. Reno’s nails are long, and they scrape all the way up his sternum, and then pull at the barbell in his right nipple. Rude hums, and Reno swallows and does it again to the left. He runs his tongue along his upper lip, and then meets Rude’s eye.

“Man. What the hell are we doing?”

“I don’t know what you’re doing,” Rude says. “But _I’m_ teaching you lesson.”

Reno has enough time to blurt _whuuuh?_ before Rude pushes Reno flat on his back and kneels between his thighs. Reno groans through his teeth and Rude finds his mouth to punish him. It’s a hard kiss, staticky and rough and full of teeth – not at all how Rude wanted to kiss him the first time, not at all how he imagined he’d do it – but this _demon,_ this idiot, this fucking tease. Rude can’t stand him anymore.

Reno claws into his back and kisses filthy, and his tight little cock ruts up against Rude’s bare stomach, and he lets Reno torture himself further and further, because he deserves it.

Reno uses his teeth to tug at the piercings in his ear, and it gives Rude chills. Reno’s breath is uneven and hot and Rude grabs the lube and fucks him with his fingers. Reno opens easy, like a –

“Slut,” Rude tells him, and Reno keens happily.

“You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear that from you.”

“Then you really are one,” Rude muses, and kisses him until his bottom lip swells. Reno tastes like a poison apple. Like a drug that’ll kill you in an instant. Rude sucks on his tits because his chest is ridiculous, and Reno looks like he could get off on his fingers alone.

Reno grabs his sunglasses and tosses them across the room. Rude growls into his mouth and bites at his tongue, and Reno purrs like it’s what he wanted all along.

“Your back is – _mmm,_ ” Reno claws into his spine, and squirms with three fingers up his ass. “So broad. I just wanna…” Reno sits up and bites into his warm shoulder, and Rude grunts through his teeth, his stomach rolling with arousal. 

“Shut up and stay still,” Rude tells him, and works a fourth finger against his rim. Reno flops back in the sheets, and his hair looks like blood in the pillows.

“No can do _partner._ ” Rude glares back at him, and Reno grins. “What, don’t like that in bed? Would you rather I call you _daddy?”_

Rude summons his patience to keep a straight face. Instead he rolls his fingers right into Reno’s spot, right where he’d been politely avoiding, and he rubs and rubs and rubs until Reno is clutching the sheets above his head and _screaming._

It settles a very dark, very terrible part of Rude’s ego. 

“Are you going to be good?” Rude asks, finally letting up. Reno collapses back, his cock drooling and unable to come.

“Yes yes yes,” Reno pants, eyelashes wet and sticky. His cheeks are red, a contrast to his eyes. “I’ll be so good for you baby. There’s nobody that can reign me in like you can.”

Rude pulls his fingers out and traces his rim in circles. He doesn’t dare touch above the ribbon tied around his balls. This body is too much. Too much art in front of his bare eyes. Too much sun.

“Is that right.”

“Only you,” Reno rasps, and it scrapes down Rude’s spine like a knife in a blood oath. “Get in me – you’ve never felt an ass like mine. I’ll have you in _tears._ ”

“Is that what you do—” Rude starts, pushing up Reno’s leg to test that flexibility, “—when you drag your prey back to your room?”

Reno laughs, and it breaks the tension for a moment. He grabs his toes. 

“Nothing like this.” Reno lets go and squirms, and he’s beginning to look uncomfortable. “Rude please. My dick will really actually fall off.”

Rude pulls out his own belt, and stands to drop his trousers.

“I think that’s up to me.”

“Ugh, you’re such a – holy _shit,_ wait wait wait, time out.”

Rude pauses, stepping out of his underwear. Yeah duh, of course he’s hard, but Reno is sitting up and staring between his legs like – oh, yeah.

“When did you get _this?!”_ Reno screeches, rolling up to his knees and crawling towards the edge of the bed. He points to the Jacob’s ladder of barbells running up his shaft. “Holy shit, Rude!”

“Uhh,” Rude thinks about it, and allows Reno to touch. His cock jumps in his hand. “Early twenties?”

“Are you real? Like, you didn’t crawl out of my deepest fantasies just to murder me in my moment of weakness?”

“Reno.”

His partner licks across his lip.

“Can I taste ‘em?”

Rude isn’t sure how long he’d last with Reno’s mouth on him.

“Thirty seconds,” Rude says. Reno dives in like it’s a swimming pool. He takes Rude all the way down with no hesitation, licking across each barbell and swallowing like he’s trying to memorize the feeling. Rude has to grit his teeth and really focus, because Reno’s mouth is wet and hot and slick from drooling for the past half hour, and it builds pressure in his groin. 

“Mmgh, fuck,” Reno slips back. “Feels – so weird. _Good_ weird, like a massage.”

Rude’s eye twitches, and he counts ten more seconds as Reno flicks his tongue around the piercings. Rude grips him by the nape of his hair and yanks.

“Times up.”

Reno groans gutturally, and his eyes flutter shut.

“Hah, so you _can_ pull my pigtails.”

“Get on your knees.” 

“I never thought you’d be so demanding.” Reno rolls over and wiggles his pert little ass up in the air. “You sure you never read my diary?”

Reno is getting too cocky for his liking. Rude spreads his cheeks and licks once against Reno’s wet hole, and Reno makes a sound like a broken squeaky toy. 

“You’re the worst,” Rude smacks his ass.

Reno stuffs his fingers in his mouth, but only after admitting, “I know.” 

Rude plants a knee in the bed and keeps a foot braced on the floor. He drags Reno back by the hips, uncaps the lube and goes for a condom, but Reno complains.

“Come on, I don’t take the immunity pill for nothing. I wanna feel ya’.”

Rude sighs out of his nose. He grinds briefly against the curve of his ass, once against his balls, and Reno flinches like he got punched in the stomach.

“Holy _fuck,_ if you touch me right now I will literally come everywhere.”

“See, and you’re not supposed to do that,” Rude reminds as he enters him. Rude stretches out with a long, deep groan, rolling his head into the sheets and shivering with sweat.

“Oh _wow,_ that feels – your piercings are – _so_ fucking good.”

“You okay?”

“Hell yeah, give it to me big guy.”

Rude braces a hand between his shoulders and forces him down, and Reno keens like it’s everything he wanted and more. His body is hot and slick and Rude doesn’t pillow his thrusts like he might’ve with someone weaker. Reno was made for this.

Hands stretch up in the sheets, red strands messy and everywhere. Reno has given up on words and is just muffling sounds and encouragements and muttering that doesn’t make sense. Reno tries to grind his cock into the sheets, but Rude hauls his hips back up in a tight grip, fucking him hard. 

Rude must hit him right, because Reno’s filter pops off.

 _“Ooohhh_ my god, _this_ is fuckin’ it, dude. This is what I’ve been looking for – nobody out there like you, Rude, fucking _nobody._ ”

It’s hot, and Reno’s dirty mouth makes him feel like he’s boiling from the inside. Rude can’t touch enough of him like this, and his pace is growing sloppy anyways, so he climbs fully on the bed and uses his strength to haul Reno back and up on his lap, and Reno cries bloody murder, because it spears him right on his cock.

Rude can finally kiss all that pale skin – his neck and his shoulder and the backs of his ears, and Reno sounds like he’s crying, clawing back into Rude’s side to hold on as he bounces.

“Damn you’re gorgeous,” Rude says without thinking, and Reno rides back onto him so hard, Rude feels it in his gut.

“Rude _please,_ ” Reno begs, _“Please, please –_ I can’t, I can’t hold it back. My brain is gonna’ melt, I’m gonna die – _please!”_

Rude yanks the ribbon off, and Reno’s voice pitches and cracks, his back arching off Rude’s chest, only held back by the hand Rude grips into his side. Rude works the other around his cock as he comes violently, and Reno twists his neck to press his mouth against Rude’s in a sloppy kiss. His breath comes out in hiccups and small gasps and to Rude’s own surprise, it’s _cute –_ almost vulnerable.

“How was that?” Rude asks into his mouth. His hand is soaked. Reno opens his eyes, and they’re watery with tears – and he laughs breathily and smooths his hand around the back of Rude’s skull.

“You don’t even know, do you? Sit back, I’m about to ride the life out of you.”

Reno is soft as he bounces in his lap but he appears to enjoy it anyways, and Rude has no more stamina left. He’s been hard for too long, and Reno pulls at his piercings and claws down his chest and tells him in explicit detail about _how many wet dreams I’ve had about you, used to jack off thinking about your hands around my neck, my ass is gonna’ be shaped like you for weeks –_ and Rude throbs with it, pushed over the edge as his vision goes bleary, and he comes silent into the sweep of Reno’s neck.

As far as bad decisions go, this was definitely one of them – but Reno looks _debauched,_ like Rude seam-ripped him stich by stitch, and at the very least, if Rude loses everything, he’ll get to keep _this_ memory.

Reno pulls off him and lies back in the sheets to avoid the wet spot, and Rude has to close his eyes against the sudden jerk of tenderness that rushes through his body.

“Shiva,” Reno curses, turning to look at him with that smile, the real one. “You really were holding out on me. Consider my lesson learned.”

“Never pull that shit again.”

“You got it partner.”

* * *

Waking up the next day is terrible, because Rude feels amazing.

Reno is asleep in the sheets, rolled up like a cat in the sun. His bare back looks sinful, like Rude shouldn’t be looking.

He’s relaxed all the way to his toes. Honestly, it was the best fuck Rude has had in years, and _that_ is why this is very bad.

He wants to run his hands over those ribs; kiss Reno’s tattoos and work at his new bruises until they no longer ache. He wants to take _care of him._ Just like he always has, but so much more.

Rude gets out of bed and starts collecting his things. Reno groans at the noise.

“Dude, would it kill you to have a few bedside manners?”

“We slept too late, if we don’t hit the coast by this afternoon then we’ll get stuck in traffic.”

Reno sits up in bed, and blinks through the fuzz. He stares at Rude’s back as he picks up their clothes and searches for his glasses, and Reno’s little angry huff draws his attention back.

“You’re not going to make this all awkward, are you?”

Defensiveness rolls in his chest, and Rude turns to glare at him.

Right. Reno never sleeps with someone twice.

“I know how you work,” Rude scowls. “Congrats, you won your game. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

A hurt look crosses Reno’s face. He looks down at the sheets, and blinks.

“Well…I…”

“I’m not going to get all emotional about it. Go shower so we can get out of here.”

Reno frowns, and doesn’t move until Rude has left for his own hotel room.

* * *

Reno isn’t acting any different when they grab coffee and fill up the tank, but there’s obviously a tension that won’t go away anytime soon.

Every time Rude closes his eyes he can _see_ him. Spread out on the sheets, naked and beautiful – and it’s something Reno gives out willingly. All the time, without a problem, because Rude has _no business_ poking around his sex life, and he owes Rude nothing.

But it’s a million times worse now. The thought of someone else touching him.

Rude doesn’t realize the pump has finished, until Reno clears his throat.

“Ready to roll?”

“You lot ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

Rude looks up towards the biker gang that approaches. Reno scowls.

“This is neutral territory.”

“No,” a broad man with a big beard points across the street. _“That_ is neutral. This side of the street is free reign.”

Rude rolls his eyes. Reno sighs through his nose.

“Listen, you really don’t want to do this.”

“Oh, we really do. Do you know how far a million gil will get ya’?”

There’s about fifteen of them. Rude gives Reno a sideye, but Reno is already on the same page.

“Alright,” Reno says, and kicks the guy square in the chest. All hell breaks loose, and Rude goes for the big ones, flipping a guy over his shoulder and tossing Reno the keys. Reno downs two bikers and hops in the front seat, and when they’ve got a clear view, Rude jumps over the back as Reno peels out of the gas station.

Rude climbs over the center console, and slides into the seat.

“They’ll follow us.”

“No they won’t,” Reno says, and guns it. They fly out of town, the rumbling of the motorcycles lost behind them. Rude sighs, and Reno eyes him. “Nice throw.”

Rude hums. Reno’s hair flies around him from the open top, and Rude can see the bite marks he left on his shoulder, and everything should be the same, but it’s not.

* * *

They don’t talk much during the drive. Not that they ever do, but Rude feels like he can’t get enough air.

The landscape grows greener, and the humidity curls the ends of Reno’s bangs. It’s a seven hour drive until they hit the ocean, and by then, Rude is looking forward to a week in solitude.

“Uh, sorry,” Reno sticks his pinky in his ear. “Will you run that by me one more time?”

“Our compound suites are full,” the receptionist says. “We have a villa with a kingsize mattress and a kitchenette available.”

“Fuck me,” Reno sighs.

They didn’t come all this way just to turn back around.

“I’ll sleep on the couch,” Rude says. Reno frowns at him, but the receptionist claps his hands and says,

“Delightful! Your deposit is a hundred gil. Cash or card?”

The villa’s are nice, at least. They’re secluded on the sand, all white and blue and beachy. The sea breeze blows the curtains, the setting sun filtering in at random. Reno throws his bag to the floor and groans.

“This isn’t the vacation I was dreaming of.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” Rude grits. Reno fixes him with a look and Rude pointedly ignores it.

“I’m going out for food,” Reno huffs, switching his shirt out for a nicer one. “You coming or what?”

“No.”

“Fine, suit yourself.”

Reno stomps back out onto the sand, and Rude pushes up his sunglasses to rub at his eyes.

* * *

Rude sits on their front porch until all you can see are the lit torches leading back towards the main hotel.

It could be worse, Rude guesses. The resort could be closed. There could be a zombie apocalypse. It could rain.

A drop of water hits the sand, and Rude sighs heavily through his nose.

When he steps back into the villa, Reno is rubbing his hair with a towel.

“No sexcapades tonight?” Rude jabs.

Reno scowls and chucks the towel over the bathroom door.

“Fuck you. I’m not that big of an asshole.”

Rude can see light bruising on Reno’s hip, right where it dips below his sweatpants. Rude turns away and sheds his trousers.

“Mm.” 

He can tell Reno’s been drinking, because his words slur a little as he gets angry.

“What, you’re really gonna’ sleep on that couch?”

Rude sits, pulling off his glasses and raising an eyebrow.

“Yes?”

“Tch. Just suck it up and get over here. That things’ way too small.”

True, but Rude is willing to stick it out. Reno huffs and puffs as he crawls into one side of the large king-sized mattress, and Rude hesitates.

He hates this. The divide between them.

 _“Rude._ ”

He reluctantly climbs in the other side. Reno stays far away from him, but Rude can still feel his body heat all night.   
  


If only.   
  


* * *

They don’t cross paths the next day. Reno fucks off to who knows where, and Rude buys a crappy novel at a bodega and reads on the beach to distract himself.

Reno comes and goes a few times. They don’t speak – and while Rude was never the chatty type, the world still feels strange without Reno’s background noise.

This is borrowed time, Rude reminds himself. Something that was never meant to last. Still, the grass is always greener. His mind drowns in a world of _what ifs._

Rude showers off the sand, and when he walks out, Reno is laying on the couch, spinning a lighter in his hand. Rude passes by him and throws on a shirt. A particularly loud wave breaks off in the distance.

“You down for dinner?” Reno asks.

“I ate.”

A single beat of silence passes, and it’s like everything breaks at once.

“You know what?” Reno snaps, swinging his feet to sit upwards. “I can’t fucking take this anymore. We need to talk _._ ”

“There’s nothing wrong,” Rude lies.

“Don’t,” Reno hisses. “Don’t lie to me. Lie to anyone else, but not me.”

Rude looks away, and leans his back up against the villa wall.

“What? So you want to just run off like you do with every other hookup?”

“Don’t put words in my mouth!” Reno stands, and Rude is silently stunned by the outburst. Reno lets out a frustrated shout, and digs his nails in his hair. “Goddammit! I’m just going to have to come out and say it, huh?”

Rude crosses his arms to hide how quickly his heart is beating.

“Say what?”

_Don’t leave. Please don’t leave._

“That it wasn’t a _game_ to me!” Reno shouts, and it’s so the opposite of what Rude was expecting, that his face falls in surprise. Reno’s cheeks color, and he glares at the ground. “Fine. You got me, okay? I didn’t – I didn’t _just_ want sex. I was trying to – fuck, I don’t know what I was trying to do. I just wanted you to look at me.”

It feels like his heart has dropped to his feet. Rude swallows.

“But you don’t do relationships.”

“Well, I wanted one with _you,_ okay?” Reno rubs his eyes, and Rude’s heart squeezes tighter. “Go ahead and make fun of me. I don’t give a fuck anymore.”

Rude feels like his brain is chugging to keep up, like he can’t see straight.

“I’ve never seen you want that with anyone else,” Rude manages. “How was I supposed to know?”

“Because I already _had_ that with you,” Reno sniffles angrily. His face is all scrunched up, like he’s pissed off that he’s tearing up in the first place. “I already had someone who knew my coffee order and had met my mom and could hold my shopping bags and buy me pancakes. I just…wanted the rest of it.” Reno huffs, and the tears are gone. “But now I threw all that out the window, so don’t fuckin’ pull a muscle tryna’ make nice with me anymore.”

Rude is crossing the room with two easy strides. He slides his hand along the back of Reno’s neck, and holds him still when he tries to jerk away. Those eyes – those fucking _eyes._

“Reno,” Rude calls, urging him to stay still. He pulls him closer, forces Reno to glance at him. “I’ve only ever been looking at you.”

Reno loses control of his face entirely. His jaw falls open, and his eyelashes blink wetly, and Rude kisses him the way he always wanted to. Soft, thorough, _long –_ like he’s memorizing the taste. Reno makes a wounded noise into his mouth and kisses back, hooking his arms around his middle and holding on with an intense grip.

All of Reno’s hard, jagged, built-up edges turn soft in Rude’s arms. Reno parts his lips pliantly, rolling his tongue against Rude’s. The kiss ends tenderly.

“I fucked all this up,” Reno says, with a quiet laugh. “I can never screw anyone else again.”

“You won’t have to,” Rude says. Reno climbs up into his arms and Rude hold his weight in one hand.

“I want you to fuck me like crazy every day for the rest of my life,” Reno says. “But right now can you just… I just need you.”

“Yeah. I’ve got you.”

* * *

Reno plucks off his glasses, and Rude rolls them to their sides, and fucks him slow and long. Reno just keeps his arms around his neck, claws put away, face buried silently in his shoulder, and Rude gets to take care of him like he always wanted to.

“You taste like the sun,” Reno tells him, mouthing soft at his shoulder. “Mmh. Smell so good.”

“I’ve been at the beach,” Rude explains.

Fingers skim his back, up to his neck and around the piercings at his ears.

“Love all these new freckles. Love you.”

Rude’s heart squeezes painfully. He pulls Reno hard against his chest, then runs his hand up his thigh, to hook Reno’s leg over his own hip. Reno moans lightly, and Rude confesses into the soft spot on Reno’s jaw.

Reno is beautiful; a terrible angel meant to tempt him off the beaten path. He’ll never let go of him, not as long as he lives.

* * *

“So,” Rude asks later, when Reno is massaging circles into his back. “What’s my rating?”

Reno laughs sharp and loud, and rubs his thumbnail over a bump in his spine, giving him chills.

“Isn’t it obvious, _partner?_ I only date tens.”

* * *

Rude gets to sleep with Reno tangled up in his arms. He’s spitting out hair by the morning, but Reno hardly stirs.

The ocean breeze blows open the windows. The white curtains sway side to side, and it feels like a dream he shouldn’t be allowed to have.

A gentle knock raps at their door. Reno is dead to the world, so Rude silently detangles himself and hunts for his sunglasses. He pulls on pants and cracks open the door, expecting to see housekeeping, but…

“Rude,” Tseng nods. It’s Rude’s turn to become a deer in the headlights.

“You’ve been pretty hard to find,” Elena jokes.

Damn.

Time’s up.

“So you’re alive,” Rude observes.

“And you deserted,” Tseng says. Rude nearly flinches.

“Shit,” Reno curses behind him, in nothing but boxers. Elena looks between them and raises her eyebrows.

“Wow. Well that’s a development.”

“It’s recent,” Reno waves. “Look. What are you here for?”

“Come back with us,” Tseng demands.

“Or what?”

“We’ll have to kill you.”

Right.

“Your record will be wiped clean,” Elena offers. “It’ll be like the last six months never happened.”

Rude looks to Reno. His face is tight and walled off into the old Reno, mister _Turk._ Reno glances back at him, and they don’t even have to say it.

“Sorry,” Reno looks at Tseng. “I’m happy you’re alive, but – we’re out.”

Elena inhales. Tseng’s face doesn’t change from his chilly exterior, but his eyebrow does raise.

“Is that your final answer?”

Reno’s nightstick is across the room. Rude has a gun in his bag. He doesn’t know if he can win this fight.

It was all borrowed time, anyways.

“Yes.”

Tseng pulls out a gun, raises it, and fires. Elena shouts – Rude jerks to cover Reno with his body, and Reno shouts _“RUDE! DON’T!”_

Everything stops.

There is no blood. Rude follows the line of the smoking gun, all the way to the bullet hole dented in the wall between them.

“There,” Tseng says, holstering his gun again. “You’re dead.”

Oh.

Reno steps out from behind Rude’s protection.

“Tseng…you…you’d really do that for us?”

“You’re off the clock,” Tseng says. “Enjoy your time together. Maybe the Gods will forgive you in the next life.”

Rude’s chest hurts. But he nods.

“Will we ever see you again?”

“Not if you’re lucky,” Elena smiles. “Bye guys. It’s been real.”

Reno’s arm makes it’s way tight around Rude’s waist. He smiles goofy, ear to damn ear.

“If you ever need something, you know where to find us.”

Tseng actually smiles; close-lipped and short, but it’s there.

“Right. Absolutely nowhere.”

The door shuts, and their next life begins.

**Author's Note:**

> shoutout to the shinra hq groupchat for this. i know i kinda made up an au but like, i had a vision okay. 
> 
> thanks for reading :)


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